Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum cultivar xe2x80x98KLEP01007xe2x80x99.
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant, botanically known as Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98KLEP01007xe2x80x99.
The new Zonal Geranium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Stuttgart, Germany. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new Zonal Geraniums with uniform plant habit, upright peduncles, and interesting flower and foliage colors.
The new Zonal Geranium originated from a cross made by the Inventor in 1997 of the Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum cultivar Klelad, disclosed in co-pending U.S. plant patent application Ser. No. 09/250,019, as the female, or seed, parent with the Pelargoniumxc3x97hortorum cultivar Klecardi, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar KLEP01007 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny from this cross in a controlled environment in Stuttgart, Germany, in 1997.
Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings taken at Stuttgart, Germany has shown that the unique features of this new Zonal Geranium are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98KLEP01007xe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98KLEP01007xe2x80x99 as a new cultivar and distinguish it from other known Zonal Geranium cultivars:
1. Upright and uniform plant habit.
2. Freely basal branching habit.
3. Dark green-colored leaves.
4. Freely flowering habit.
5. Dark pink-colored flowers.
6. Upright and strong red brown peduncles.
Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the female parent, the cultivar Klelad, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium are more vigorous and not as compact as plants of the cultivar Klelad.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have longer peduncles than plants of the cultivar Klelad.
Plants of the new Zonal Geranium differ primarily from plants of the male parent, the cultivar Klecardi, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have darker green foliage than plants of the cultivar Klecardi.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium flower earlier than plants of the cultivar Klecardi.
3. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium have dark pink-colored flowers whereas plants of the cultivar Klecardi have purple-colored flowers.
The new Zonal Geranium can be compared to plants of the cultivar Klecerol, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,410. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted in Stuttgart, Germany, plants of the new Zonal Geranium differed from plants of the cultivar Klecerol in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium were not as vigorous as plants of the cultivar Klecerol.
2. Plants of the new Zonal Geranium had darker green foliage than plants of the cultivar Klecerol.
3. Leaves of the new Zonal Geranium did not have a distinct zonation pattern whereas leaves of the cultivar Klecerol had a distinct zonation pattern.